Toni-Maree’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Everyone Is Welcome.

People from all over the world, different races, ancestry and religions.
People with different educational backgrounds, disabilities and abilities.
People with different sexual orientations and gender identities.
People who are many years apart in age, and even those who have different food preferences.

 

First Peoples of Australia are particularly welcome.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.

During all interactions, I ask you to do your best to follow these guiding principles.

  1. Be kind
  • Be polite and friendly in every form of communication.
  • Be mindful of tone of voice. (It’s so easy to misunderstand).
  1. Be inclusive
  • Diversity is about mindset and appreciating differences – be supportive to other people’s beliefs and experiences.
  • Explain any slang, in-house jokes or idioms that might not translate across cultures.
  • Avoid jargon, acronyms and non-inclusive language.
  1. Be respectful
  • All individuals are valued and everyone is to be treated with the utmost respect.
  1. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable
  • It’s impossible to know everything about everything. Be open to hearing new opinions and thoughts even when it differs to your own.
  • Diversity can sometimes mean difficult topics are raised or discussed. Accept it may make you uncomfortable initially but could lead to new knowledge and ideas.
  1. Be action orientated
  • Take responsibility for yourself.
  • None of us are perfect. At one time or another, you may slip up and that’s OK. Owning your mistakes and finding a way forward is what counts.
  1. No bullying or hate speech

Everyone has the right to feel safe from being bullied and harassed. This includes unwanted and unwelcome words, actions, gestures, or behaviours that make someone feel uncomfortable.

This includes but is not limited to:

  • Racism or racial/ethnic slurs
  • Sexist or misogynist comments
  • Homophobic or transphobic comments or slurs
  • Negative comments about people with disabilities
  • Negative comments or discrimination based on age or family role
  • Discriminatory comments against members of religious groups
  • Deliberate mis-gendering.